🇫🇷 Olivier Giroud

[Vesper 30,184]

Loyal, leader and a big brother – Giroud ready for more glory in his ‘garden’

https://theathletic.com/1957477/2020/07/30/oliver-giroud-chelsea-arsenal-wembley-fa-cup-final/

During one of the hardest seasons of his professional career, Olivier Giroud never lost faith.

For the first six months under Chelsea coach Frank Lampard, the veteran striker started just two Premier League games. Between December 1 and February 16, he didn’t play a single minute.

Giroud is a devout Christian. He would not deem it appropriate to pray for a place back in the side but his religion has provided great support in the good times and the bad.

A testament to his beliefs is a tattoo on his right forearm. Written in Latin is a verse taken from the bible, the opening of Psalm 23 to be exact. It reads: “Dominus regit me et nihil mihi deerit”, which translates to prose that is known by Christians around the world as “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want”.

That message travels everywhere Giroud goes and brings him comfort. But when things have got tough, he has found the conversations held with a French-speaking pastor at St Barnabas Church in Kensington particularly helpful.

With training and an intense fixture list — even when he isn’t in the match-day squad — getting in the way, Giroud rarely has the option of a traditional Sunday to pay the church a visit, so seeks out the trusted clergyman when he can.

It will have been tough to find the time to pop by for a chat ahead of the FA Cup final with Arsenal on Saturday. This is always an intense week as far as preparations go. Plus, there are far more media commitments than usual.

Still, with eight goals in his last 11 appearances combined with the reassurance his spirituality provides, Giroud is in a great frame of mind to take on his former club at Wembley.

---

The date is January 31, 2018, and transfer negotiations between three prominent clubs are going to the wire. Arsenal are in talks with Borussia Dortmund for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Borussia Dortmund are negotiating with Chelsea over a loan deal for Michy Batshuayi, and Chelsea are looking to replace the Belgian with Giroud.

All three clubs are under pressure to come to an agreement with each other before the deadline. Like the housing market, should part of the chain break, everything was off.

As one ex-member of Arsenal’s staff that was working there at this juncture told The Athletic: “It was a three-way deal, with Batshuayi going to Dortmund and Aubameyang coming to us. Football isn’t always built on trust but in that instance, all three clubs had to trust each other that nobody was going to pull the plug.

“Chelsea said that if they got Giroud, they’d loan their player to Dortmund. They committed to that.”

It is understood Arsenal’s then-transfer chief Dick Law, who enjoyed a good relationship with Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, called her during the day to ensure everything was still on track. It was regarded by some involved as a pivotal moment.

All the dominoes fell accordingly. Giroud was signed by Chelsea for £18 million, Aubameyang completed a switch to Arsenal for a fee in the region of £56 million and Batshuayi headed to Germany.

For Giroud, it meant a five-and-a-half-year spell in north London had come to an end. Just as he looked to leave Chelsea in January over fears his place in the France squad at Euro 2020 was at risk, the forward was concerned a lack of games would negatively affect playing at the 2018 World Cup.

As the former Arsenal employee explains: “Olivier wanted out. He’d been playing less and had fallen into a role as an impact substitute. He excelled at it but with an international tournament on the horizon, it wasn’t ideal.”

In truth, despite scoring 105 times for Arsenal, he regularly faced a battle to prove his worth and show that he was the right man to lead the line regularly.

Even before he joined from Montpellier for £13 million in 2012, Arsenal’s French scout Gilles Grimandi was not only at the Ligue 1 club’s games to watch him but creative midfielder Remy Cabella as well. It is believed a younger Aubameyang had also been catching Arsenal’s eye during his tenure at Saint-Etienne. However, not everyone was convinced that he was ready for a switch to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal needed a new frontman to replace Robin van Persie, who had left for Manchester United. They acquired Lukas Podolski from Cologne that summer for £10.9 million and the original plan was to play the German through the middle, with Giroud seen as a “Plan B”. Yet it soon became clear that Podolski wasn’t suited to playing with his back to goal and Giroud became “Plan A”.

The medical staff marvelled at Giroud’s stamina and durability throughout his spell. He could play a huge amount of minutes and contest a big number of duels without suffering injury.

But no matter how many occasions Giroud found the net, Arsenal didn’t appear satisfied. The search for other frontmen continued. In the summer of 2013, they made unsuccessful bids for Liverpool’s Luiz Suarez and Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain. They came close to purchasing Demba Ba from Chelsea. Things got so advanced, staff had graphics prepared to be used for articles on the official website. However, Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho scuppered the deal because he didn’t want to strengthen a rival.

Another highly-publicised attempt was the pursuit of Jamie Vardy from Leicester after he’d helped them claim the Premier League title in 2016. Once again, it ended in failure but the familiar message was being sent loud and clear to Giroud, so there was no surprise when Alexandre Lacazette arrived from Lyon 12 months later.

The bid for Aubameyang proved to be the last straw but no matter how often he felt slighted, Giroud’s attitude could never be questioned. He was immensely popular at the training ground and enjoyed a close bond with influential defender Laurent Koscielny. More importantly, coach Arsene Wenger trusted him. One of the greatest signs of that came the day before he departed. Even though Giroud looked certain to be leaving, Wenger brought him off the bench in a Premier League game against Swansea because the manager knew his player would still give everything.

Giroud spoke about their bond with France Football soon after joining Chelsea. He said: “I went to see the coach (Wenger) to ask him where he was with Aubameyang. I put him under a bit of pressure, like my agent, who I spoke to several times a day. I did not want to be deprived of going to Chelsea, which was the best solution for me.

“The coach immediately said to me, ‘Don’t worry. I will do my best so that you are happy.’ On one side, it was normal. I had never asked to leave. On the other, I knew that he would not cause problems, given the relationship we had always had. He even said to me that it would piss him off if I did not go to Russia (to play in the World Cup).”

One might wonder why he opted to switch to a London rival rather than look elsewhere. Giroud had attracted interest from clubs across Europe but his wife Jennifer wanted to remain in the capital and that was a significant factor. There are suggestions it played a role in the France international staying at Chelsea this season, too.

The move has worked out for Giroud and for Chelsea. He helped them win the FA Cup in 2018 and was top scorer during the successful pursuit of the Europa League last year with 11 goals — one of his strikes came against Arsenal in the final, a game where neither Aubameyang or Lacazette made an impact.

The feelings of satisfaction were obvious. As Jorginho broadcast live footage from the team bus, Giroud was seen holding the trophy and shouting “Thank you, Arsenal” to spark cheers and laughter from his team-mates.

That incident, plus some public declarations about his affection for Chelsea, has inevitably had a detrimental effect on how Arsenal fans now perceive him. If they were allowed to attend the FA Cup final, there was the possibility of the odd boo ringing out when his name is read out over the PA system.

No one can doubt how appreciated he is among Chelsea’s fanbase, though, and that is an achievement in itself after wearing an Arsenal shirt for so long. Indeed, he set up the winner for Aaron Ramsey to deny Antonio Conte’s men the double three years ago at Wembley. All has been forgiven.

    Giroud helped Arsenal beat Chelsea in the 2017 FA Cup final (Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

 

Giroud found himself in the same situation at Chelsea when the 2019-20 season began as he did on joining two-and-a-half years ago — as a back-up option.

First, it was Alvaro Morata, then Higuain, and now it was Tammy Abraham taking center-stage while he had to do a lot of watching from the sidelines.

A measure of just how he responded to being usurped by Abraham, a player of limited experience compared to him, came after the Super Cup against Liverpool last August. It was one of two matches Giroud found himself in the first XI in the first three months under Lampard but he’d been replaced by Abraham with 16 minutes of normal time remaining.

Abraham went on to miss the decisive penalty during a shoot-out and the England international was subjected to horrific abuse on social media, with some of it of a racial nature. To Abraham’s pleasant surprise, Giroud posted a heartfelt message to his phone. The duo have Christianity in common and Giroud decided that the bible might come to the youngster’s aid.

The Athletic has learnt what was sent. Quoting scripture from Isaiah 44: 27-31, it read: “Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, ‘Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?’. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

While disappointed to be behind Abraham and Batshuayi in the pecking order for several months, Giroud never let it show. His rapport with the former is described as that of a big brother. They are often seen working on their finishing together in training.

Other players have been impressed by his attitude throughout the period he was ignored, the way he constantly gave his all during sessions and never complained publicly about being left out.

Speaking to The Athletic, defender Antonio Rudiger says: “First of all, massive respect to him. He always kept his cool, always stayed professional, always worked hard, and he fought his way back.

“It was a difficult season for him. In the first six months, he wasn’t really there, then there were all these rumours he is going. We are all human and maybe there are some days where you don’t laugh as much as you normally do when you are playing. That’s normal. But he has always been fair. When he was on the pitch, he was giving his all. When he was on the bench, he always supported the team. There was nothing you can say that was negative about him.

“Is he one of the leaders? Yes, definitely. He is always someone to speak to. He won the World Cup (with France in 2018). Oli is a very confident guy but with this World Cup comes more confidence. But he is not arrogant — he is a very good guy on and off the pitch. He is someone everyone looks up to. I look up to him.”

Lampard appreciated his efforts, too, but with the Englishman preferring a striker that had the energy to press opponents and provide a threat in behind defenders with pace, his game wasn’t deemed suitable.

But, as he told The Athletic in October, Giroud was not going to cause a negative atmosphere: “There are two reactions to being left out of the side. There is one where you put your head down; start complaining that you’re not playing.

“The other way is you transform that frustration over not playing into a positive energy. You need to maintain a good feeling to bounce back, to show your character. That is what I try to do at training every day. I’m a competitor. It takes a lot more to get me down.”

Had Lampard got his way and signed a forward in January, then Giroud wouldn’t be in a position to try and claim another FA Cup winners’ medal.

Talks were held with several sides, including Inter Milan and Tottenham, but a transfer was blocked once Chelsea failed in their attempts to acquire Dries Mertens from Napoli and Edinson Cavani from Paris Saint-Germain.

A positive discussion was held between the pair once the situation became a reality and Lampard promised Giroud that he would be given more opportunities.

Rudiger was relieved the Frenchman remained in the ranks. “It’s not like convincing someone to come here. That’s different,” he says. “The situation, at the time, was clear: he didn’t play. It was a decision he had to make. Of course, I wanted him to stay but it is what the player wants and my opinion doesn’t count. But, in the end, he stayed and I’m very happy because he showed his qualities.”

It helped Giroud that Chelsea’s and Abraham’s form was in decline while Lampard’s patience with Batshuayi was running out. Abraham picked up an ankle injury against Arsenal on January 21, which complicated matters.

When Giroud was named in the line-up against Tottenham a month later, in what was just his third start of the season in the league, he led the attack with aplomb and settled nerves with a fine strike in the 15th minute.

He has been the main man ever since. The team thrived when Abraham was at his best in the first four months but players enjoyed the physical aspect Giroud brought, too. The manner in which he got the better of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez during the FA Cup fifth-round win over Liverpool in March was the subject of excitable conversation within the ranks.

It was after this contest that Giroud told The Athletic the plan was to sign a new contract rather than leave as a free agent at the end of this season. Granovskaia clearly liked what she was seeing and hearing because a 12-month extension was soon offered and signed.

Even after agreeing terms, there was cynicism Chelsea had done so just to be in a position to make some money on him in the summer window. Inter Milan continue to be linked. However, a source close to the player insists this is not the case. “The idea was never to sell,” he says. “It was a good deal for both parties. Chelsea and Giroud need each other. In June and July, Olivier has given the right answer.”

Yet even with his stay secured, Giroud didn’t stop working. With COVID-19 putting a halt to football for over three months, he pushed himself in exercise drills to ensure he returned last month as one of the fittest men in the squad. A healthy diet was followed, with new recipes explored to ensure he was in good shape.

The leadership qualities have continued to be on show. When 17-year-old Lewis Bate was included in the match-day squad for the first time at Sheffield United, the elder statesman, along with captain Cesar Azplicueta, made a special effort to make the teenager feel comfortable in the surroundings.

It was noticeable how after Giroud had scored against Wolves in the match which secured Champions League football for next season via a top-four finish, Lampard wanted to highlight his contribution in 2020.

“I don’t want to look clever,” he told Chelsea TV. “I just want to say from January onwards, I didn’t want him to leave. I know what he brings every day to the training ground, it’s amazing. I’m not just calling him a cheerleader; he is a big personality. He also has huge talent.

“But the way he has played since those games just before the restart; he has changed a lot for us. People like playing with him. They bounce off him. He literally bounces balls back to players that are our attacking threats: Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Willian. He has done it to great effect. I give Oli huge applause for what he has done for us. I’m delighted to have him.”

The script for Giroud in 2020-21 looks like it will follow a familiar pattern. Chelsea haven’t gone to a lot of effort and spent £47 million on Timo Werner in order for the Germany international to be a peripheral figure.

But that scenario is to worry about another day. Before then, Giroud faces a trip to the ground he affectionately calls his “garden”. He has never lost an FA Cup match at Wembley, having won the competition with Arsenal on three occasions to add to the triumph with Chelsea in 2018.

He would love to make it a famous five and therefore serve yet another reminder, to employers past and present, that he should never be written off.

[chelsea_4_eva 1,182]

Great character to have in the squad.

[NikkiCFC 8,324]

Olie and Puli nominated for POTM. Alonso in February I think and Willian earlier in the season... Is that all from our players?

[Jase 43,479]

On 7/27/2020 at 2:08 AM, Jason said:

Anyway, Giroud has done incredibly well since the restart with all those goals to help us get in the Top 4. That aside though, he needs to go back to the bench next season and be a useful back-up. 

👆

Understandable given his age but his lack of pace and mobility hurts us so much when we try to build up play.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

My bold prediction is if Lamps will give him enough playtime next season, him and Werner will form a deadly striker duo. Werner cant realy play as sole striker, but Giroud would open plenty of space for him.

Id realy like to see it for couple games.

[communicate 2,703]

3 minutes ago, BlueLyon said:

My bold prediction is if Lamps will give him enough playtime next season, him and Werner will form a deadly striker duo. Werner cant realy play as sole striker, but Giroud would open plenty of space for him.

Id realy like to see it for couple games.

I certainly can see it, Giroud is 33/34 though. 

[NikkiCFC 8,324]

Tbh 3rd striker was always extra. Last season Giroud from August to February. And Michy from February till end of the season.

If we hopefully do not have injuries next season Timo will be regular starter so one of Olie or Tammy will be in very difficult situation.

[Puliiszola 519]

14 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

Tbh 3rd striker was always extra. Last season Giroud from August to February. And Michy from February till end of the season.

If we hopefully do not have injuries next season Timo will be regular starter so one of Olie or Tammy will be in very difficult situation.

We are lacking depth in the forward position. For wingers we have only CHO, ziyech, puli. I expect werner to play a lot of minutes from the wing with giroud and tammy playing as STs. Plus its a long season with so much fixture congestion. I kind of expect some injuries.

[Strike 7,490]

15 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

Tbh 3rd striker was always extra. Last season Giroud from August to February. And Michy from February till end of the season.

If we hopefully do not have injuries next season Timo will be regular starter so one of Olie or Tammy will be in very difficult situation.

This is always the cycle. Its quite likely one of Giroud or Tammy will want to leave at the end of the season but at least it gives a great set of options to be used for this season. It will be tough replacing Giroud or Tammy with a similar level of player too so this season is a unique opportunity where everyone goes into it competing and thinking anything could happen.

[Jase 43,479]

Mbappe tested positive for COVID-19 and has been withdrawn from the France squad. Not sure if others are infected and/or need to be quarantined.

[NikkiCFC 8,324]

 

[LAM09 7,056]

Talk of him possibly joining Juve going around. Not sure losing two CF's in the same window would be wise.

[Styl1994 188]

28 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

Talk of him possibly joining Juve going around. Not sure losing two CF's in the same window would be wise.

Probably just Juventus going back and forward in negotiations for Suarez.

[Unionjack 7,531]

Chelsea outcast agrees Juventus switch

https://www.whoscored.com/News/Xq88xrRbm0aw6XeoK9wM8Q/Show/Chelsea-outcast-agrees-Juventus-switch

 

https://gianlucadimarzio.com/it/juventus-giroud-attaccante-calciomercato

Not good.

Are we still a winger down too after losing Willian and Pedro?

[Hutcho 8,443]

I highly doubt we go into a season with 2 strikers especially when our main striker can and potentially will play some time on the left meaning we'd have both strikers on the pitch at the same time.

[LAM09 7,056]

Probably just Juventus going back and forward in negotiations for Suarez.

I hope it's that considering we're days away from the season starting.

[Strike 7,490]

I hope the Giroud rumours are not true. Give us one season of Werner Tammy Giroud - a survival of the fittest competition for the striker position!

[Styl1994 188]

3 hours ago, Strike said:

I hope the Giroud rumours are not true. Give us one season of Werner Tammy Giroud - a survival of the fittest competition for the striker position!

Sadly very few clubs can have three strikers competing for one spot nowadays it’s normally two strikers and a third player that can play as a striker if needed which we still have. 
 

Werner 

Abraham 

Havertz 

[Jase 43,479]

Worth noting that Giroud said this about competing for places only a few days ago...

https://www.goal.com/en/news/werner-isnt-the-same-as-me-giroud-relishing-chelsea/utyua7c2isjwzoinkuhjgyt1

Quote

"I haven't spoken to Lampard. One thing is certain: the competition [in the squad] will pull us all to the top. A great club should have different options in each position," he said in an interview with Telefoot.

"We want to be in the race for the title and I'm here. I finished the season well and I proved to the manager that he can count on me.

"Werner is not the same profile as me, I hope to have some playing time."

[Strike 7,490]

2 hours ago, Styl1994 said:

Sadly very few clubs can have three strikers competing for one spot nowadays it’s normally two strikers and a third player that can play as a striker if needed which we still have. 
 

Werner 

Abraham 

Havertz 

yes, these situations are rare which is why I was hoping this season to be a one-off where we have 3 genuinely good options for the striker position. 

Still not convinced by the Giroud rumours. May still be Juve smokescreen to get Dzeko/Suarez to move